Regime change stories

Aug 24, 2026

US removes Syria from state sponsors of terrorism list after nearly 50 years

The Trump administration formally removed Syria from its state sponsors of terrorism list on Monday, lifting decades-old economic sanctions following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also delisted Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham as a terrorist organization.

Aug 24, 202610 sources

Jul 13, 2026

Reports claim Israel's Mossad met with Iran's former president Ahmadinejad in Budapest for regime change talks; Ahmadinejad denies allegations

Multiple media reports allege that former Mossad chief David Barnea met with Iran's former hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Budapest in 2024 and 2025 to recruit him as a potential leader in a post-Islamic regime scenario. Ahmadinejad has forcefully denied the claims, calling them 'Hollywood-style lies.'

Jul 13, 20266 sources

Top claims

▪Mastercard announced in May 2026 that it was working with QNB Group and the Central Bank of Syria to prepare infrastructure for international card payments.
▪Syria had been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States since December 1979 under the administration of President Jimmy Carter.
▪President Donald Trump initiated the 45-day congressional notification period to delist Syria on July 8, 2026, after confirming that Syria's government had ceased supporting international terrorism.

People involved

Marco Rubio

Subtopics

Intelligence operations1 Iran & regional influence1 Iranian government1 Israeli domestic politics1 Middle East regional alliances & rivalries1 Sanctions & economic countermeasures1 Terrorism & counterterrorism1 US foreign policy1

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